Thompson High students helped build house for handicapped resident

View full sizeJosh Carden, a former student at Thompson High School in Alabaster, sits before a fountain that commemorates the efforts of the school's students to help build a house that serves Carden's needs. (Nathan Prewett/NPrewett@al.com)

ALABASTER, Alabama – Students crowded the benches in the gym
at Thompson High School on Friday afternoon to recognize two major
accomplishments by the school: The wrestling team won the state championship
for the third year in a row, and local volunteers completed a house built for former student Josh Carden and
his grandmother, Louise.

"I'm really enjoying it," said Carden, who has cerebral palsy
and is confined to an electric wheelchair. Louise Carden was present at the
program and said that she was touched by the project.

"It's wonderful," she said. "It's like a dream. He [Josh] is
still driving around the house, room to room, looking at everything."

The program began with Thompson High Principal Danny Steele congratulating
the wrestling team for winning the championship before announcing to the
students that the long-running Josh Carden Project was completed.

Carden's grandfather died in a tragic car wreck while
helping him off of a school bus in 2011. At that time, the house that he and
his grandparents were living in had become deteriorated, which prompted a
response from students. More than $1200 was raised and volunteers were gathered to build
a better house that would serve the 20 year old former Thompson High student's
needs.

"In this program we're recognizing the accomplishments of
the wrestling team and what the students contributed to Josh," said Steele. "They
rallied to raise money for the project. I'm proud of what we're celebrating and
what the student body accomplished."

The house was built by local builder, Jack Donovan, who is
also confined to a wheelchair. A video played in the gym showed Donovan and
Carden driving throughout the newly completed house, with Donovan explaining
the features that serve Carden's special needs. Donovan was not able to attend
the program on Friday.

Members from Let Your Life Speak Foundation and Speak
America were present to unveil an artist-commissioned fountain for the school
in honor of Carden and the project that helped build his new house. The
fountain has a pyramid-like base topped with a bowl. The bowl has a metal rod
jutting from it and is ringed with spirals.

"It's a very big privilege to be part of this project," said
Catherine Griffin, who explained that the fountain's spirals represent the "ripple
effects" that resulted from the student body's efforts to organize the project.

"These kids chose one of their own and decided to
radically transform his life," said Jeff Brooks from Let Your Life Speak
Foundation. "School administrators have seen firsthand that helping Josh
has also transformed the lives of the other students. What's happened in
a small Alabama town can happen anywhere when kids are given a chance."